


i'll always come home (i'll always come to you)

by mzyz



Series: rooster-head and glasses-kun [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Established Relationship, Fluff, Goodbyes, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending, tsukki is leaving and kuroo is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 16:50:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17145449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mzyz/pseuds/mzyz
Summary: “I’ll call you all the time,” Kei says, emphatically. A promise he’s vowed to keep. “You’ll never know I’m gone.”“No,” Tetsurou replies, “I’ll know you’re gone. I’ll feel it every morning and I’ll miss you every second.”kei is offered a job he can't pass up. he and tetsu say "see you later"





	i'll always come home (i'll always come to you)

For what seems like the millionth time in a matter of minutes, Kei’s eyes drift down to his watch. 7:38 the long hands read and Kei wants to either grimace or cry. _Tetsurou_ , Kei thinks _, isn’t coming_ and the pit in his stomach grows.

He’s boarding at 8, leaves at 8:45 and, so badly, he wants to see Tetsurou one more time. He knew that things were…messy, to say the least, but he never thought his boyfriend (ex-boyfriend? Kei still wasn’t sure; it seems practically impossible that he wouldn’t be with Tetsurou and Kei hates that he’s facing a potential life where Tetsu is no longer his) wouldn’t say goodbye. It wasn’t like Tetsurou.

The two-year-long grant he’d received to work in one of the most renowned and prestigious laboratories in America was an opportunity too good to pass up; both Kei and Tetsurou knew that. Kei couldn’t say no and, even now, he understood that chances like these don’t just fall into his lap but, god, he wished there was some way to balance out Tetsurou and the path he’s started to walk.

There was a lot of screaming the night that Kei told him ( _“It’s 2 years, Kei, how do you think I feel about that?” “So I’m supposed to walk away from this? You know I can’t do that Tetsurou, don’t be selfish!”_ ) and Kei gnaws on his lip, anxiety rising in his chest.He glances down again.

7:40.

He still holds out hope that there’s traffic. That Tetsurou wasn’t just abandoning the 5 long years they’d put into their relationships. He wouldn’t do that, _he wouldn’t_.

It was 7:42 when Kei looked up to hear heavy, fast footsteps rounding the terminal and see a familiar head of untamed, black hair. Kei wouldn’t admit the wave of relief that washed over him like a typhoon.

“Hi,” Tetsurou breathed out, panting with his hands on his knees.

“Hi,” Kei echoes, not sure what else he could say. There were so many words he thought of telling Tetsurou, so many things but now, seeing him, they tripped over his lips and dissipated. What do you say in this situation?

“Sorry I’m late,” Tetsurou began, softly. Then, he admitted, “I didn’t want to come.”

Kei didn’t respond, he watched Tetsurou.

“I just…I thought that seeing you leave would hurt too badly so I didn’t wanna come but then I realized…” he trailed off. Kei could feel tears welling in his eyes but he willed them not to fall. Tetsurou was his high school love story, his only love story. Tetsurou changed him from a stoic, aloof and uncaring teenager to what he is now. He didn’t want to leave.

“I’m glad you came,” Kei said. Tetsurou reached out to him, caressing his check with the edges of his thumb.

“I never want to stop loving you,” Tetsurou tells him. “I never want to stop waking up next to you. You’re worth those two years, though, I love you more than any amount of time and distance.”

“Cheesy Tetsurou,” Kei let out a dry laugh, fiddling with his fingers as affection swelled in him.

“I’m sorry for everything I said,” Tetsurou continues.

“Will you wait for me?” Kei asks. It’s 8:46. 14 more minutes with Tetsurou.

“I’ll always wait for you.”

“Good.”

“You have to board soon,” Tetsurou reminds him, both men share the same pained expression. “I’ll miss you. Who’s gonna remind me to water the plants and change Aki-chan’s litter box?”

“You’ll have to be both of us for a while,” Kei says. Their long fingers intertwine, Kei felt the fraying edges of old medical tape that encased Tetsurou’s hands. He was the only one of the two that continued playing volleyball, he played professionally for the Tokyo team and Kei was endlessly proud.

“Aw, Tsukki,” Tetsurou whined. “You should text me reminders once in a while or else all the plant’ll die.”

“I will,” Kei promised, their shoulders were touching. And they stir in the faint scent of silence for a while.

“You’re gonna have so much fun in America,” Tetsurou mused, his voice wobbling a little bit. Hearing his boyfriend’s wavering voice caused a small lump to form in the back of Kei’s dry throat. “Send me a ton of pictures.”

“I’ll call you all the time,” Kei says, emphatically. A promise he’s vowed to keep. “You’ll never know I’m gone.”

“No,” Tetsurou replies, voice hoarse. Barely above a whisper; he doesn’t look Kei in the eye, just stares blankly ahead at the busy travelers and the luggage that trail behind their busy feet. “I’ll know you’re gone. I’ll feel it every morning and I’ll miss you every second.”

Kei wants to cry or throw up. Or kiss him. He vies for the third option, pressing his lips to Tetsurou’s. The kiss is warm, soft-lipped and open-mouthed and filled with slight regrets and much love. It’s a goodbye kiss, a see you later kiss. A “there’s no one else I’d rather spend my life with” kiss. It’s an apology and a forgiveness at the same time, from both men.

“I have to go now,” Kei mumbles once they break apart. Once, a long time ago (it felt like an eternity since he was a 1st year in the 3rd gym), he'd been ashamed to cry in front of anyone. Especially Tetsurou but that was forever ago and, now, Kei couldn't stop the salty, warm tears from slipping past his eyes and sliding down his face. Being away from Tetsurou for two whole years ripped at him, crushing his heart in his ribcage. 

“Don’t cry, moonshine,” Tetsurou chuckles but it’s hypocritical; he’s crying too. Tenderly, Tetsurou raises his fingers to wipe Kei’s cheeks, almost shining with tears.

“Text me when you land,” Tetsurou reminds him. Then, “have a good flight.”

Kei pulls him into for one last hug, wrapping his arms around Tetsurou’s broad shoulders and whispering into his ear, “I love you, Tetsu.”

“I love you too, Kei.”

And he’s off, disappearing into Gate 63, bound for America. Tetsurou watches him, walking further and further into his new life. He’ll always come home, though, as long as Tetsurou is there, Kei will always come home.


End file.
